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Primary education

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Original poster

Mass exodus at DC’s school

22 replies

Peashootpetra · 21/05/2023 17:40

Head leaving. Deputy head leaving. Head of EY leaving. Head of KS1 leaving. Head of KS2 leaving.

Head going elsewhere, new head appointed (not long-standing deputy), others are mix of retiring/going elsewhere.

Is the writing on the wall? Should we leave too? There’ll be only three original teachers left.

OP posts:

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Meadowfly · 21/05/2023 17:42

Sometimes it just happens like that - it really depends why they are leaving.

Foxesandsquirrels · 21/05/2023 17:45

Lots of SLT are leaving in droves. They're being expected to run schools on negative budgets, yet expectations are only increasing and they're being judged on higher and higher standards. It's very difficult to staff schools now and this will be something that'll be happening in more and more schools.
Less depressingly, it could be that the head has secured a headship in a new school and filled the vacancies with staff from the current school. This often happens.

sunshineandshowers40 · 21/05/2023 17:45

It is quite common for staff to leave when a new head is appointed. Did the current Deputy Head apply for the Head position. Is the school becoming an academy?

Original poster

Peashootpetra · 21/05/2023 17:47

Not becoming an academy as far as I’m aware. Deputy applied, wasn’t successful, resigned.

OP posts:

DrHousecuredme · 21/05/2023 17:56

Peashootpetra · 21/05/2023 17:47

Not becoming an academy as far as I’m aware. Deputy applied, wasn’t successful, resigned.

This will be responsible for all the people leaving then.
A new head starting, especially if staff thought the deputy would take over, is a time of worry and stress for the staff.
So people do start to look around for other jobs.
You just cross your fingers and hope that the new head is good and able to recruit and retain staff. If they are then things will settle down quite quickly. If not, it could be an "interesting" period for the school.

Original poster

Peashootpetra · 21/05/2023 17:59

@DrHousecuredme - thanks for the insight. Would you move? Might be easier than waiting and seeing in some ways. There are a couple of other more stable schools locally. Not sure if they have spaces though…

OP posts:

DrHousecuredme · 21/05/2023 18:02

I've been in that situation a few times in my career and I looked around but ended up not doing so. Jumping ship is just as much of an unknown quantity as waiting for the new head to arrive so you really have to want the move for reasons other than getting away.
Good luck, The new head may well be brilliant for the school once the dust settles so have faith.

Shadyladyo · 21/05/2023 18:05

Why would you move? New head might be amazing

WonderingWanda · 21/05/2023 18:17

Lots of movement of staff this year, I am moving jobs, wanted to move for years but covid had huge a impact on my energy levels, enthusiasm and confidence. It's taken a couple of years to feel ready to approach job applications and interviews to be honest.

CornishTiger · 21/05/2023 18:19

Are you staff or a parent?

KittyAlfred · 21/05/2023 18:49

Assuming you’re a parent - why would you move, from a place where your kids are settled and there are 3 teachers they know, to a place where they know no one? How would that be an improvement? Unless there are other things you’re not happy about.

AssertiveGertrude · 21/05/2023 18:52

I wouldn’t move - your children are settled and have friends there and the new staff should (hopefully) be positive and motivated

Starlightstarbright1 · 21/05/2023 18:58

We had a new head - people were upset in change . We had a few staff leave - things did change . Tbh the one who left was useless.
there was an Ofsted the week after it wasn’t a good Ofsted although we had Covid in the middle there has been a huge change for the better .

no I wouldn’t move

TwigTheWonderKid · 21/05/2023 19:00

Why do you think the new team will be worse?

Chowtime · 21/05/2023 19:04

It would be utterly bizzare to move. Why on earth would you do that?

knobheeeeed · 21/05/2023 19:05

I wouldn't move.
Your children are settled in their classes with their friends.
Sometimes it just happens that lots of staff leave at the same time. Maybe there's been other things going on you don't know about which has led to people looking for jobs and a few have managed to get jobs. Maybe cost of living has motivated the phase leaders to look for promotion elsewhere. Or maybe they are just some of the many who are fed up and stressed out with SLT roles.

wildfirewonder · 21/05/2023 19:06

I wouldn't move until I thought something was wrong. Huge amount of disruption and it might be completely unnecessary.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 21/05/2023 19:17

Is it a small school? To get paid more/ promotion they often have to move to a bigger school.

Original poster

Peashootpetra · 21/05/2023 19:45

Medium sized, about 250 maybe? Why move? I suppose for more stability. I imagined it would take a while for things to settle down with so many new staff. Just a thought, hence the question.

OP posts:

Boomboom22 · 21/05/2023 19:49

Depends if your kids are settled, have friends and are achieving why move? Do you mean a standard 1 form entry?

Original poster

Peashootpetra · 21/05/2023 19:53

It was two and is now one because a new estate was built a couple of miles away, complete with shiny new school and cheaper housing. Locals priced out and have moved over the last 5-10 years.

OP posts:

knobheeeeed · 21/05/2023 19:54

Peashootpetra · 21/05/2023 19:45

Medium sized, about 250 maybe? Why move? I suppose for more stability. I imagined it would take a while for things to settle down with so many new staff. Just a thought, hence the question.

Your children will have new teachers anyway as they will be going into new classes and that would have happened irrespective of how many teachers were leaving.
It won't be utter chaos in September because a whole load of new staff have arrived. There will be briefings and discussions in advance between the head and new SLT so they are ready to hit the ground running in September. Teachers will also have training days and meetings so they know what is happening too. They can't change everything overnight. You might find that new policies are introduced over the next few months as they review different aspects - there might be a new behaviour policy for example, but again, these are the sorts of things that go on anyway.
I would just leave your children there. If you find the new style of management/policies and so on is not to your liking, you can move your children next year.

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